Hoverfly for id please

[Rambling Rob]

Hello,

I think this is a female hoverfly - it appeared to be egg laying on wild carrot - and I think it's a Sphaerophoria sp. Does that look right - and can anyone suggest which species?





Thanks, Rob

[aeshna5]

Agree female Sphaerophoria sp- not possible to ID these from photos- dissection job!

[Rambling Rob]

Thanks Aeshna. It was interesting to see it moving from flower to flower laying eggs. Rob

[Jason Green]

Evening Rob,

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Agree female Sphaerophoria sp- not possible to ID these from photos- dissection job!

Females are unidentifiable, it's the males you need - though you can just extrude the genital capsule and examine without 'dissecting' and detaching with these.

Take care,

Jason

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Evening Rob,



Females are unidentifiable, it's the males you need - though you can just extrude the genital capsule and examine without 'dissecting' and detaching with these.

Take care,

Jason

According to Stubbs only females of the menthastri group are unidentifiable.

[Rambling Rob]

Is this a male Sphaerophoria sp. ? One from this afternoon, feeding on Field Madder.



Thanks, Rob

[Jason Green]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

According to Stubbs only females of the menthastri group are unidentifiable.

So what part of the ladies would you need to dissect?

[Anzu]

Originally Posted by Rambling Rob

Is this a male Sphaerophoria sp. ? One from this afternoon, feeding on Field Madder.



Thanks, Rob

I think male Sphaerophoria scripta.

[Rambling Rob]

Thank you Anzu. Rob